Education subsidy to kids of migrant workers in Shanghai

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-12-25 09:58

Liu Cheng, a grade six student in Dabieshan School for Children of Migrant Workers said the school has cut the tuition by half this year and imposes no extra charges for interest activities and school outfits.

"I paid 600 yuan (US$81) to the school for my son this year, compared with 1,400 yuan (US$189) last year. The subsidy helped lift our burden for living in Shanghai. The cost for living here is very high for our migrants," said Liu's father Liu Aitian.

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Shanghai's per capita monthly income in 2005 was 1,554 yuan (US$197), while that of half the migrant laborers in the city was less than 800 yuan (US$101), with 19.67 percent below 500 yuan (US$63), according to a survey conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics in November last year.

The social development official in Pudong said that the district government would assist the remaining 19 schools for children of migrant workers to meet the basic requirements to provide qualified primary school teaching in the next three years.

"As long as the schools meet the criteria and offer transparency in their financial accounts, they will be covered in the government's tuition policy," said Cao.

The Ministry of Education asked its local departments earlier this month to ensure that children of migrant workers were enrolled in government schools and enjoyed the same tuition policies as those of permanent city residents.

However, crowded classrooms in government schools in cities have made it difficult to enroll children of migrant workers.

"Private schools for migrant children are often set up near market places, where migrant workers can easily find jobs. Although some are not eligible, the government should not shut them down once and for all, since they help to solve the education problems for children of migrant workers," said Cao.

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